Curb Cuts in Cyberspace: Universal Instructional Design for Online Courses

TLDR

College courses that include universal design features can reduce the need for accommodations for students with disabilities and improve accessibility for diverse learners. This article examines how Universal Instructional Design and Universal Design for Learning principles can be integrated into an online course to serve an increasingly diverse postsecondary student body, and it describes the features that students value. The authors designed and implemented a graduate-level online course that followed UID guidelines and UDL principles, and they evaluated its elements through student surveys and interviews conducted during and after the course. The case study identifies universal design features for online courses, highlights those valued by students, and offers practical considerations for course designers wishing to incorporate such features.

Abstract

College courses that include universal design features can minimize the need to provide accommodations for students with disabilities and make courses accessible to students from diverse backgrounds. This article examines how principles of Universal Instructional Design (UID) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can be incorporated into an online course to accommodate an increasingly diverse body of students in postsecondary institutions. The authors designed and implemented a graduate-level online course that incorporated UID guidelines and met UDL principles. To evaluate the universally-designed course elements, students were surveyed and interviewed during and after the course. This case study describes the universal design features that can be included in an online course and highlights the features that students valued. The authors conclude with considerations for course designers who seek to include universal design features in online courses.